Prof. Dr. Ir. Erik Poelman

Discover insights from our expert keynote speaker

Full Professor and Chair of Farming Systems Ecology Group at Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands

Prof. Erik Poelman leads a research group that investigates how plants and insects interact within complex ecological communities. His work explores how plants defend themselves against the diverse insect species they host, how insect communities are shaped, and how insect behaviour adapts to the ecological networks surrounding them. This fundamental understanding is essential for developing sustainable and resilient agricultural systems in which plant traits and ecological interactions help maintain pest populations below economic thresholds and reduce reliance on pesticides.

His research focuses on the mechanisms and community-wide effects of plant-induced responses to herbivory. These responses trigger indirect interaction networks involving herbivores, parasitoids, hyperparasitoids, pollinators, and other members of the plant–insect community. Prof. Poelman’s vision is that these plant-mediated interactions play a key role in structuring insect communities, influencing plant fitness, and shaping the evolution of plant traits.

His current projects integrate ecological, chemical, genomic, and modelling approaches and address insect community ecology, plant defence under multi-herbivory, growth–defence strategies, parasitoid behaviour, and hyperparasitoid ecology. Trained originally as a vertebrate ecologist, he has also worked on the taxonomy and reproductive biology of poison frogs, which continues to influence his teaching and ecological perspective.

Keynote Lecture:
Biological control in open-field crops: Inspired by and inspiration for greenhouse biological control

Event

Join us for Biological Control Innovations and Networking, a gathering of ideas, research, and collaboration.

Secretariat

Email: iobc-greenhouse-wgm2026@wur.nl

Phone: +31 317 488 169

© ICPC2026. All rights reserved.

Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture & Flower Bulbs, Wageningen University & Research

Venue

Flora Boskoop

Parklaan 4, 2771 GB Boskoop, The Netherlands

31 August - 3 September 2026

Timings: 9:00 to 18:00

© Raghavendra Reddy Manda

Raghavendra Reddy Manda